A gesture sensor is a sensor used to detect presence or absence, passage, continuous flow, and accumulation of an object and control a position of the object, by using a force of an electromagnetic field without physical contact. Depending on the principles of detection, the gesture sensor may be classified into a magnetic gesture sensor, an optical gesture sensor, an ultrasonic gesture sensor, an inductive gesture sensor, a capacitive gesture sensor, an eddy-current gesture sensor, and the like.
Among the above-listed sensors, the optical gesture sensor includes a light source (located outside or inside the sensor) called an emitter and a light-receiver for detecting presence or absence of light. Generally, the light-receiver is a photo-diode and the emitter is a Light-Emitting Diode (LED). The light emitted by the emitter is reflected off an object and the light-receiver receives the light reflected off the object. According to the amount of the light received by the light-receiver, that is, the amount of the reflected light, the presence or movement of an object in a certain distance may be determined.
Recently, various electronic devices, such as portable electronic devices, smart phones, tablet Personal Computers (PCs), Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG-1 or MPEG-2) Audio Layer 3 (MP3) players, Portable Multimedia Players (PMPs), and electronic-book terminals have equipped with gesture sensors to provide various functions using the gesture sensors.
However, the light-receiver of the optical gesture sensor may receive other types of light than the light reflected off the object. As a result, an error may occur in determination of the presence or movement of the object based on the amount of the light received by the light-receiver.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and an apparatus for preventing a malfunction of a gesture sensor.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.